For some teams, OTAs haven’t even begun yet, yet the Denver Broncos already sustained an injury that will have an impact on them come football season.
Because of a torn Achilles he sustained in April, just before the NFL Draft, second-year linebacker Drew Sanders is not available.
Now that Sanders has been used more as an edge rusher than an off-ball linebacker by Denver, they discovered that Sanders had sustained a serious injury, so they selected Jonah Elliss in the first round. In Week 2, the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Broncos, and it is unlikely that
After Sanders leaves, the team’s primary members of the edge rusher rotation are Baron Browning, Nik Bonnitto, Jonathan Cooper, and Elliss. Although Sanders is clearly in the rotation, he was a bright player with the potential to make a big improvement at the position.
Though it’s likely too late for Sanders to be ready for the Steelers, there is hope that the Broncos will welcome him back sometime in the middle of the season, according to Mike Klis, who broke the story first.
“While no timeline was placed on his recovery, similar injuries to other players lend hope Sanders could possibly return in the middle to late in the regular season,” Klis wrote.
That game will be charged with plenty of emotion. It is Russell Wilson’s return to Denver after two unsuccessful seasons with the team.
Perhaps revenge is vital for what this matchup will be, but there will be emotions there, as Wilson will want to show Denver that he was wronged when they let him go.
Sanders’ absence in that game will have a moderate impact on the edge rusher rotation, though the Broncos boast of those four players above, who all have different skills that they use. But it’s a disappointing start to workouts for Denver, who hoped to see Sanders take a leap.
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